Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: China, Malaysia Cross One-Million Arrivals Mark in First Half of 2012

China, Malaysia Cross One-Million Arrivals Mark in First Half of 2012

Bangkok, July 16, 2012 - The Thai tourism industry continued its strong performance in the first six months of 2012, with total arrivals of 10,496,789, up 7.60% over the same period of 2011.

The most important contributor to this growth was arrivals from China which, for the first time, crossed the one million arrivals mark in the six-month period to record a total of 1,124,234, up by a robust 28.87% over January-June 2011.

Here is the listing of the Top Ten Source Markets of Visitors to Thailand in the first half of 2012:



Below is a summary of the overall figures for the period of January – June 2012, with the percentage change over the same period of 2011, tabulated on arrivals by nationality at all points of entry into Thailand:

Overview:
East Asia recorded 5,486,941 arrivals (market share 52.27% of total arrivals). Europe 2,971,939 (market share 28.31%); The Americas 545,042 (5.19% share); South Asia 632,976 (6.03% share); Oceania 477,894 (4.55% share); Middle East 296,653 (2.83% share); and Africa 85,344 (0.81% share).
East Asia (+5.73%):
• Japan is the fourth largest source of visitor arrivals to Thailand with total of 630,058, up 11.47%.
• Korea is the fifth largest source of visitor arrivals with total of 540,523, up 4.88%.
• Arrivals from the neighbouring ASEAN countries also showed good growth, e.g., Vietnam (+24.96%), Brunei Darussalam (+20.15%), Cambodia (+12.32%), Myanmar (+12.30%), Laos (+9.16%), Indonesia (+4.40%), Singapore (+4.53%). Only the Philippines was down (-3.44%).
Europe (+11.12%):
• Russia remained ahead of the UK and Germany as the largest source market from Europe, with total arrivals of 634,312, up 12.21%.
• The UK and Germany ranked the second and third largest sources of visitor arrivals – 433,989 (+1.52%) and 357,472 (+9.71%), respectively.
• French visitor arrivals totalled 304,717 (+17.11%).
• Arrivals from the Nordic countries of Norway, Sweden and Denmark grew by 17.59%, 16.45% and 14.84%, respectively.
The Americas (+10.58%):
• The US is the tenth top source-market of arrivals to Thailand with a total of 379,430 (+8.63%).
• Canadian visitors grew by 10.62% to 114,678.
• Brazilian visitors grew by 23.65% to 14,965.

South Asia (+5.83%):
• India is the biggest source of visitors in South Asia and the sixth largest source of total arrivals. Arrivals were up 6.32% to 504,634 arrivals.
• Pakistani visitor arrivals totalled 34,809 (-2.65%).
• Bangladeshi visitor arrivals totalled 33,494 (-0.20%).
• Visitors from Sri Lanka grew by 20.85% to 32,878.

Oceania (+9.45%):
• Arrivals from Australia and New Zealand were up 9.63% to 427,096 and 8.15% to 49,365, respectively.

Middle East (-0.15%):
• The UAE experienced a decline of -0.76%.
• Visitors from other Middle East markets (such as Iran) were down 7.08%.
• However, other Middle East source markets were up, especially Saudi Arabia (50.51%) and Kuwait (19.97%). Arrivals from Egypt were up by 22.49%.

Africa (+28.88%):
• The most important source market of South Africa was up 13.99% to 35,319.
• Other countries are also showing considerable promise with a total growth of 41.97% to 50,025.

For 2012, TAT has set a target of 20.5 million total international visitors. This is a conservative estimate but is certain to be exceeded if the international economic and geopolitical situation remains stable.

Source: TATNews/16July2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Thailand Tourism Receipts Up 30%, Highlighting Value for Money Factor

Thailand Tourism Receipts Up 30%, Highlighting Value for Money Factor

Bangkok, July 16, 2012 -- Thailand recorded a 31% increase in tourism receipts in 2011 over 2010, according to Ministry of Tourism and Sports figures. The total earnings of 776 billion baht (US$25.45 billion) were also well above the original target of 716 billion baht (US$ 23 billion).

The figures show that Thailand recorded clear increases in both quality and quantity of visitor arrivals. The growth in total number of visitors is being matched by increased average length of stay and average daily expenditures, further underscoring the role of tourism as one of the most important economic sectors and contributor to job creation in Thailand as well as nationwide income distribution.

According to the Ministry, Thailand recorded 19.23 million international visitors in 2011, up by 20.67% over 2010. With an average length of stay of 9.64 days and an average daily spend of 4,187.12 baht (US$137) per person, the Thai tourism industry generated 776 billion baht in earnings.

By regions, East Asia recorded the largest increase in receipts in 2011 at +39.40%, followed by South Asia (+33.27%), Oceania (+32.84%), Africa (+32.21%), Europe (+26.20%), the Americas (+20.36%) and the Middle East (+19.79%).

Europe holds the largest share of international tourism receipts in absolute numbers (a 38.23% share), reaching US$ 9,733 million in 2011, followed by East Asia (37.33% share or US$ 9,505 million), the Americas (7.10% share or US$ 1,807 million), Oceania (7.30% share or US$ 1,858 million), and South Asia (4.85% share or US$ 1,235 million). The Middle East (4.29% share) accounted for US$ 1,093 million and Africa (0.88% share) was worth US$ 224 million.

According to per-capita daily spending, the top 10 countries for tourism spenders in 2011 were UAE (US$175.21), Saudi Arabia (US$166.92), South Africa (US$164.10), India (US$161.78), Hong Kong (US$161.63), Singapore (US$160.96), Kuwait (US$159.66), Australia (US$159.19), Brunei Darussalam (US$155.30) and Korea (US$153.17).

Among Asian visitors, the lowest daily spend was by Laotians (US$101.99) and among Europeans, the lowest daily spend was by Germans (US$115.46).

In terms of total expenditure by all visitors, the top five nations were Russia, China, Australia, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom. Here is a brief snapshot summary of each:

Russia: Thanks to an increasing number of charter flights, Russia is now the top generator of arrivals from Europe, up 63.45% to 1,052,361 in 2011. Russian tourists spent a total of US$1,970.84 million (60 billion baht) in 2011, based on an average length of stay of 13.29 days and an average daily spend of US$140.92 per person.

China: In 2011, China was the second-largest source of visitors after Malaysia, with total arrivals of 1,704,800, up 50.57% over 2010. Based on an average daily spend per person of US$146.63, and average length of stay of 7.61 days, Chinese visitors generated tourism revenue of US$1,902.32 million (58 billion baht).

Australia: In 2011, Australian visitors to Thailand totalled 835,719, up 18.89% over 2010. Based on an average length of stay of 12.78 days and an average daily spend of US$159.19 per person, Australians generated US$1,700.27 million (51.8 billion baht) of tourism income.

Malaysia: Malaysia is Thailand’s largest source of visitor arrivals with a total of 2,492,034 in 2011, up 21.73% over 2010. Based on an average length of stay of 4.78 days and an average daily spend of US$137.10 per person, Malaysia generated US$1,633.15 million (49.79 billion baht) in tourism receipts.

United Kingdom: The United Kingdom was the second-largest source of arrivals from Europe with a total of 771,466 visitors in 2011, up 1.48% over 2010. Based on an average daily spend of US$121.84 per person and an average length of stay of 17.35 days, the UK generated US$1,630.80 million (49.72 billion baht) in tourism receipts.

Overall, the figures show that the recent strengthening of the baht against the US$ is having little impact on expenditure patterns and Thailand remains good value for money for visitors across the board.

Source: TATNews/16July2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Olympics Tourism Boost Sails Into Weymouth

Olympics Tourism Boost Sails Into Weymouth

At 120 miles from London, the Sailing host town Weymouth is one of the furthest Olympic venues from the capital.

The sleepy seaside resort in Dorset was chosen for the event in 2005 - because of its internationally acclaimed sailing waters.

The town was promised that the event would boost the local economy, support tourism and put Weymouth on the international stage.

Sky News has spoken to the family-run Channel Hotel on the Seafront, which has been booked up since Christmas.

Owner Chris Reay said he chose not to raise prices at the hotel to capitalise on the Olympics.

"Some of them (local hotels) do show dramatic increases in price. That's something that we decided not to do because we were looking at the long-term picture of wanting to bring people back in the future."

Other businesses, however, are concerned that the event is driving the ordinary tourism trade away.

Tracy Welch, who works at a local ice cream shop, said: "It hasn't been particularly brilliant. A lot of the road closures have put a lot of people off coming in, and it all seems to be down by the Pavilion rather than up this end (of town)."

The event though will give the area international exposure and the new sailing facilities are world class.

Britain is the world's top Olympic sailing nation, with a squad of 16 sailors including triple gold medallist Ben Ainslie.

Local people hope the Olympic sparkle remains once the competitors have sailed away from the Dorset coast.

Source: SkyNews/29July2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Thailand launches major domestic tourism drive

Thailand launches major domestic tourism drive

Thailand has kicked off a major new domestic tourism campaign, encouraging Thais to make travel a ‘Part of Life’.

Initiated by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the new campaign is planning to drive 107.4 million domestic trips with revenue earnings of THB453 billion (US$14.3bn) in 2013. According to the TAT, the campaigns, which will run for the rest of 2012 and into 2013, will aim to promote tourism as a “necessity” for Thai nationals and residents, as opposed to being “just a luxury or a recreational activity”

The tourism board added that the campaigns will also strive to reinforce a strong sense of national identity among Thais, especially young travellers, as well as opening up new destinations in an effort to decongest more traditional and popular holiday spots.

“Domestic tourism has become an increasingly important component of the overall tourism mix. The growing Thai middle-class has the time, means, and the propensity to travel. It plays an important role socially, economically, environmentally and culturally,” the TAT said in a statement. “Its importance has become particularly acute especially in times of crisis, when international travel tends to be affected, enhancing the role of domestic travel as a means of economic survival,” it added.

The new campaign will be underpinned by the slogan; ‘New Thinking, New Perspectives – Travel in Thailand Can Yield More Than You Think’, and will hope to take advantage of the improvements in Thai road, rail and air infrastructure.

Source: Traveldailymedia/17July2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Tourism ban will not help the Big Cat

Tourism ban will not help the Big Cat

The Supreme Court’s decision banning tourism in core areas of tiger habitats overlooks several critical considerations. It will harm, rather then help, the cause of tiger conservation.

For a start, it gives way too much power to the forest department. The ban will mean only one agency will both implement the tiger protection agenda, and audit that process.

The various forest and environment officials at the Centre and at the State level have a terrible record of tiger protection. They had held up the absurd number of 5,000 wild tigers in India till recently when it was already clear to every one (including the much maligned lodge owners) that there are only about 1,500 tigers left in India.

Tellingly, the two parks from where the tiger completely disappeared due to poaching were Panna and Sariska and both were not in the top ten most visited by tourists. In contrast, parks with the highest tiger density, such as Ranthambhore and Corbett, are amongst the most visited In India.

In both Panna and Sariska, the forest officers went to great lengths to deny that the parks were without a single big cat. The unscientific relocation in Sariska has been a double disaster. These are the very people who will run tiger parks across India, if the new order is implemented in its current form.
Tourism isn’t the villain

Tourism allows for ample outside scrutiny of the forest and thus aids tiger preservation. Tourism brings in its wake assessment by lodge owners, guides, photographers and other stake-holders whose survival depends on robust tiger numbers.

Breeding of tigers has been observed with regularity by experts even when the tourism season is in full swing. What is more, no tiger deaths due to tourism have been reported. Forest officer vehicles have, however, caused at least three tiger deaths in national parks of Madhya Pradesh in the recent past.

Poaching for skin and bones and poisoning by nearby villagers remain the two main causes of tiger deaths in India. Incidentally a majority of the poaching incidents, including the latest one in Corbett last fortnight, have happened during the monsoon, when Parks are closed to the tourists.

The Minister of Environment and Forests has proposed dismantling of tourism infrastructure in and near parks within a five-year framework.

Instead, this is the time for the tourism industry as well as the MoEF to draw up a regulatory framework. And hotels that violate norms need to go.
Price it for rarity

At the same time, India needs to understand that the tiger is the rarest of the rare, and access to it should be priced accordingly. The African model offers some lessons. A one-week visit to the Masai Mara, Kenya, during the great migrations costs $3,000 while a week in Ranthambhore or Corbett costs a measly $400 - and the Masai Mara is far cheaper than reserves in places such as Okavango in Botswana.

Raising access fee to national park core area will not only regulate tourist numbers but also provide for far greater revenues for the upkeep of parks and sharing with the local population. This is the one measure that will achieve the desired ends and is also easy to implement on the ground.

To deny future generations that heart-stopping moment - when one sights a tiger in the wild - is no solution. The State’s job is to facilitate this majestic experience through a regulatory approach.

Each park in India has unique issues and will need different solutions. A thought-out policy framework - not an “off with the tourist's head” diktat - is the way forward.

Source: TheHinduBusinessLine/26July2012

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Tourism Indochina: Singapore’s luxury liver transplants draw Cambodians

Singapore’s luxury liver transplants draw Cambodians

With paintings on every wall, a hotel-fresh scent, and a full-service restaurant on the ground floor, Gleneagles often feels more like a five-star hotel than a hospital.

The Singaporean medical centre, owned by private health care company Parkway Pantay Ltd, has become a prime overseas destination for some of Cambodia’s wealthiest citizens seeking treatment.

In addition to Gleneagles, Parkway runs three other hospitals Singapore – Mount Elizabeth, Parkway East, and Mount Elizabeth Novena – and operations throughout Asia including Malaysia, China, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

The company’s Patient Assistance Centres are central in bringing patients from countries where high-quality healthcare is difficult to access or nonexistent. Cambodia is among these.

“Our Cambodian patients are mostly sent to two hospitals – Mount Elizabeth and Gleneagles,” says Phoung Nimol, the marketing executive at Parkway’s Patient Assistance Centre in Phnom Penh, which has operated for four years. According to Phoung Nimol, gastrointestinal and liver diseases are the primary reasons Cambodians seek treatment in Singapore.

“Mount Elizabeth treats a lot of heart, lung, stomach or gastrointestinal diseases. But Gleneagles specialises more in liver cirrhosis, especially liver transplants,” he said.

Liver cirrhosis is a chronic liver disease usually resulting from long-term alcohol abuse or untreated hepatitis B and C infections. In its most severe stage, the entire affected liver must be removed through a complicated and expensive procedure that is not currently available in Cambodia....Read more...

Source: Phnompenhpost/25July2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Over 1,500 tourists evacuated as fires rage in Croatia

Over 1,500 tourists evacuated as fires rage in Croatia

ZAGREB: A firefighter died and 1,500 tourists were evacuated after forest fires fanned by strong winds broke out on Croatia's Adriatic coast Monday, with the interior minister warning of a "very difficult" scenario.

"The situation is very difficult ... we are doing everything possible to protect people's lives and property," Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic told commercial Nova television, as the fires continued to blaze out of control in the increasingly popular tourist area.

"Everything is ready for (further) evacuations," said the minister, who visited the coastal resort of Selce, close to the northern port of Rijeka, where some 150 firefighters were battling the blaze.

A 45-year firefighter died while battling another blaze that broke out near Moscenicka Draga on the Istria peninsula, fire service official Slavko Gaus told national HRT television.

That fire was brought under control later in the day.

The inferno broke out in the morning in the hinterland of Rijeka, some 180 kilometres (110 miles) southwest of Zagreb, and spread towards Selce.

Strong winds of more than 100 kilometres (60 miles) an hour made tackling the fires very difficult as water-bombing planes could not be used, the authorities said.

In Selce some 1,500 tourists from two campsites, mostly Slovenians and Austrians, were evacuated while a number of other tourists left a nearby hotel, officials said.

Part of the Adriatic coastal highway was closed, police said.

The resort was cut off from electricity and phone lines were down, Nova television reported, showing footage of people in Selce covering their faces with scarves to protect themselves from the thick smoke and ashes.

The roofs of several houses also caught fire.

In fellow former Yugoslav republic Macedonia, 14 people were injured, five of them seriously, in a forest fire at Strumica, 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of Skopje, the country's farm minister said.

The minister, Lupco Dimovski, said there was information suggesting that this fire may heave been started deliberately

The Macedonia fire was still raging late Monday.

-AFP/ac:24July2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Tibet sees over 1,000 foreign tourists daily

Tibet sees over 1,000 foreign tourists daily

LHASA, June 11 (Xinhua) -- Tourism numbers have been increasing for southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, with more than 1,000 tourists visiting the region every day, the Tibet Tourism Bureau said Monday.

The bureau said 1,588 foreign tourists from 40 countries, including the United States, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Japan and Nepal, visited Tibet on Sunday.

The number of tourists from the United States on that day reached 330, the largest group among those from the above-mentioned countries. And the following three tourist groups are Germans, Malaysians and Singaporeans, according to the tourism bureau.

Andrzej Brozek, a Polish man traveling with a group of tourists, said he visited the Potala Palace on Sunday, adding that he and his group will stay in Tibet for four more days.

Brozek said his group also visited the Jokhang Temple, a key Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the heart of Lhasa, as well as Barkhor Street, one of the city's oldest streets.

A tour guide surnamed Yang said his company is getting busier every day. Sunday saw Yang guiding a group of Japanese tourists around the city.

Art stores on Barkhor Street said an increasing number of foreign tourists have visited their stores in recent days to buy artwork..

The bureau said Tibet received 1.45 million tourists in the first five months of the year, showing an increase of 25.7 percent year on year.

Of the total number of tourists, 1.42 million were domestic tourists, the regional tourism bureau said in a statement.

The plateau region earned 1.36 billion yuan (215.87 million U.S. dollars) in domestic tourism revenues during the five-month period, the bureau said.

The bureau said Tibet expects 10 million tourist arrivals and 12 billion yuan in tourism revenues this year.

According to the tourism bureau, nearly 8.427 million domestic tourists and 270,800 foreign tourists visited Tibet in 2011.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the Tibet regional government agreed at a June 7 meeting to encourage air travel companies to establish more routes linking the regional capital of Lhasa with Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as several southeast and west Asian countries.

Li Jun, deputy director of the CAAC, said applications for new air routes linking Tibet with other countries will be encouraged in order to boost the growth of Tibet's air passenger volume.

Li said there are currently 32 routes run by six airlines linking Tibet with the outside world. The only international destination among the routes is the city of Katmandu in Nepal.

Li Haiying, general manager of Sichuan Airlines, said the company hopes to open new flights linking Lhasa with Nepal, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) in the future.

Tibet was once regarded as a difficult area to fly in because of its complicated geographic conditions and unpredictable weather.

However, air transportation in Tibet has retained double-digit growth over the past five years.

Tibet's government chief Padma Choling said that Tibet is striving to build itself into an international tourist destination, with a goal of drawing 15 million visitors annually by 2015.

Source: Xinhua/2012-06-11

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Spain to host World Tourism Day 2012 under the theme Tourism and Sustainable Energy

Spain to host World Tourism Day 2012 under the theme Tourism and Sustainable Energy

PR No.:PR12015,Madrid,08 Mar 12

The 2012 official World Tourism Day (WTD) celebrations will be held in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, Spain (27 September 2012). Under the theme “Tourism and Sustainable Energy: Powering Sustainable Development”, WTD 2012 highlights the need to bring the tourism sector and energy stakeholders closer together to spur tourism’s contribution to sustainability.

“Tourism is at the forefront of many of the latest and most innovative sustainable energy initiatives,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “One only has to think of the investments being poured into renewable energy sources for aviation, or the energy technology solutions implemented in hotels around the world, to know that sustainable energy is a major priority for the sector.”

“The message at the heart of World Tourism Day 2012 is that these initiatives and commitments are not only helping to protect the environment, they are also creating economic opportunities and jobs for millions, whether in tourism, energy or other sectors,” he said.

Official celebrations will take place in the town of Maspalomas in the Canary Islands, Spain, as was announced during the UNWTO Press Conference at the ITB Travel Trade Show with the presence of the Spanish Secretary of State for Tourism, Isabel Borrego.

“Spain is among the top five countries investing in renewable energies worldwide and 20% of the energy consumed in Spain comes from renewable sources,” said Ms. Borrego. “We are convinced that the celebrations of World Tourism Day 2012 will be of great interest given the high caliber of participants, as well as the other events being organized to raise awareness of World Tourism Day among the general public.”

Holding this year’s celebrations in Spain is particularly fitting given its reputation as “one of the world's top tourism destinations and a global leader in renewable energies,” said the Secretary-General. As well as being a major tourism destination, one third of the island of Gran Canaria, including the town of Maspalomas, where the celebrations will take place, is a Biosphere Reserve of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Official WTD celebrations will include a High-Level Think Tank on the 2012 theme, at which public and private tourism stakeholders will join leaders from the energy sector to further the use of sustainable energy in the tourism sector. Confirmed participants include the Spanish Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism, José Manuel Soria, and the President of Acciona Energy, Carmen Becerril, of Spanish multinational Acciona.

WTD 2012 coincides with the UN International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, offering the opportunity to further highlight the shared responsibility of the tourism and energy sectors to the wider sustainability objectives of the UN.

About World Tourism Day

World Tourism Day is celebrated annually on 27 September. Its purpose is to foster awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic value. The event seeks to address global challenges outlined in the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and highlight the contribution the tourism sector can make in reaching these goals.


Source: UNWTO/8Mar2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Human resource issues threaten tourism industry

Human resource issues threaten tourism industry

The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has released a report identifying three of the most important trends and policy challenges facing global tourism: effective governance practices evaluation of policies and programmes, and human resources development. All three are of direct relevance to Thailand and Asean.

The report says that major changes will need to be made in the three areas to boost tourism competitiveness and sustainability for each OECD country, and selected non-members.

In a foreword, Sergio Arzeni, director of OECD's Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs and Local Development, notes that this third edition of OECD Tourism Trends and Policies has been produced for the first time in partnership with the European Commission.

The report notes that OECD member countries play a leading role in international tourism, representing 66% of global arrivals in 2010, while EU member countries accounted for 50.2%. Domestic tourism consumption represents a very significant share of the total tourism economy, averaging 61%, and above 80% for Chile, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States.

However, the report says emerging tourism destination countries are outperforming the OECD and global averages for GDP and employment. Countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, India, Indonesia, and South Africa hold significant potential as sources of growth for traditional tourism destinations.

The three key points examined in the report conclude thus:

- The adoption of effective governance practices that reflect the changing business and policy environment can help to facilitate an integrated, whole-of-government approach to tourism, supporting stronger, greener and more inclusive tourism growth.

- Evaluation is the most appropriate means of demonstrating tourism's value to an economy and should play an integral role in the development and implementation of policy. Adhering to an evaluation road map can help countries to improve the evaluation process.

- In many countries, tourism jobs remain vacant due to a lack of appropriately skilled workers, and there is a need for governments to assume a greater leadership role in shaping the training and education agenda. A national tourism strategy, including a workforce development strategy, is necessary to fully address labour and skills shortages.

The third point is considered to be especially important.

The report "highlights the increasing gap between labour demand growth and labour supply, as well as significant changes in labour force composition, which is putting pressure on employers to improve tourism industry attractiveness and the retention of workers. Confronted with a looming labour and skills shortage, employers must develop strategies that will allow them to remain competitive with a smaller but better trained workforce.

"Numerous drivers, including an aging clientele, changing lifestyles and consumer demands, the increasing use of information and communication technologies, and globalisation, all contribute to growing pressure to upgrade skills levels, even among workers who are considered well trained. The general lack of a training culture and management skills among employers is a major hurdle that needs to be overcome."

One key challenge facing the OECD countries is the issue of migrant workers, which is also true in the case of Thailand and Asean.

Says the report, "The seasonal and cyclical nature of the tourism industry makes the option of migrant workers an attractive one for many employers, as they can expand and contract their workforce as demand fluctuates. However, while migrants can be a partial solution to the labour shortage, they often do not contribute to addressing the skills shortage.

The report also notes the increasing complexity of changes at the policy level.

It says: "Although national, regional and local governments are playing an increasing role in the delivery of tourism, a challenge is that in many countries this role has evolved in an ad-hoc manner and often with no clear definition of the overall role of tourism beyond its contribution to economic development."

Source: Bangkokpost:23/07/2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Euro crisis 'not hurting tourism'

Euro crisis 'not hurting tourism'

The ongoing debt crisis in Europe has had no effect on the country’s tourism-related industries so far, says Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa.

Speaking on the "Yingluck Government Meets the People" weekly talk show on NBT on Saturday, Mr Chumpol said the number of foreign tourists from 11 European countries continued to increase from last year. As well, he said, the ountry was seeing healthy growth in arrivals Korea, Japan and China.

The minister attributed the tourism expansion to the success of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in restoring confidence in the country by visiting several countries soon after taking office.

He forecast the number of foreign tourists visiting Thailand would reach 20 million this year, with total revenue of about 800 billion baht. Last year the country attracted 19.2 million visitors and about 770 billion baht in tourism revenue.

Mr Chumpol said he believed the ministry’s target to increase revenue of the tourism sector to 2 trillion baht in 2015 would be achieved.

Source: Bangkokpost:14/07/2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Thai tourism 'at risk' from Myanmar travel boom

Thai tourism 'at risk' from Myanmar travel boom

Travel agents yesterday warned the government that Myanmar's rapidly growing tourism sector could put Thailand's position as a major regional gateway at risk.

The comments came as Myanmar's deputy tourism minister U Htay Aung told the Sasin Bangkok Forum yesterday that his country was ramping up its tourism infrastructure to cope with a sharp rise in the number of visitors.

He conceded that the Myanmar tourism industry was still in its infancy, but pointed to rapidly increasing visitor numbers.

Between January and June of this year, the number of foreigners flying in to Yangon and Mandalay airports was 50% higher than the same period in 2011, U Htay Aung said.

Market analysts believe Myanmar has strong potential to establish itself as a prime tourism destination in Southeast Asia following democratic reforms.

U Htay Aung said infrastructure development is key to achieving this goal.

He said his country has drawn up a tourism master plan which has received backing for its efforts from the Norwegian government.

Plans are afoot for a new international airport, 50km from Yangon, to be constructed over the next few years.

He said investors in hotel and tourism infrastructure are expected to flock to Myanmar in the near future.

With the rising number of tourists, businessmen and international visitors, Myanmar now has a severe shortage of hotel rooms, he said.

The lack of prior tourism infrastructure development in Myanmar was partially because of sanctions by Western countries, U Htay Aung said, while political and security issues were also obstacles.

Communicable diseases and natural disasters had also kept tourists to Myanmar at bay, he said.

Some foreign hotels and investors had left the country because of sanctions in the past, he said.

"With the commitment to progressive reforms by the government that came to power through a general election in 2011, including national reconciliation and restructuring of the economy, the tourism sector will be revived," he said.

The Shangri-La Group is constructing a 240-room hotel, while the Accor Group and India's Oberoi are also interested in investing in Myanmar, U Htay Aung said.

There are about 25,000 hotels and guesthouses across Myanmar.

U Htay Aung said foreigners are allowed a 100% investment in hotels and restaurants, but investors cannot obtain land ownership and businesses must operate on a 45-year land lease period.

He said new investment regulations were being considered. Myanmar President Thein Sein recently approved a five-year short-term development plan from fiscal year 2011 to 2015 that aims for average gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 7.7% and for a three-fold increase in per-capita GDP.

Charoen Wangananont, secretary-general of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said the government must adopt a constructive strategy to enjoy mutual benefits from Myanmar's development.

He said inconsistent policies made Thailand vulnerable to losing tourists to other countries in the region.

Source: Bangkokpost/9/07/2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: China replaces Malaysia as top tourist source to Thailand

China replaces Malaysia as top tourist source to Thailand

BANGKOK, July 18 (Xinhua) -- China became the top source of tourists to Thailand as the number of Chinese tourists surged and exceeded that of Malaysians in the first half of 2012, Thai tourism authorities said Wednesday.

Some 1,124,234 Chinese tourists visited Thailand in the first six months, up 28.9 percent year on year. It was the first time the number exceeded 1 million for a six-month period, according to statistics released by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

A total of 10.5 million tourists visited Thailand in the same period, up 7.6 percent year on year. Strong growth in the number of Chinese tourists was a major booster of Thai tourism, according to TAT.

China will stay as Thailand's top source of tourists if the trend continues. "All the markets are doing well, but growth of the China market is phenomenal," Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, head of TAT's International Relations told Xinhua.

China is a most important market for us, we are working with hotels, restaurants and tour agencies to constantly improve our service quality to attract more tourists. Not only more Chinese tourists are arriving, they are also spending more, Chattan said.

The rapid growth of the Chinese market means Chinese tourists like what Thailand can offer, including beaches, shopping and culture. Easy accessibility to Thailand also contributed to the growth, such as low-cost airlines between major Chinese cities and Thai tourist destinations of Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai, Chattan said.

"Sky is the limit for the potential of the Chinese market for Thai tourism," he added.

Source: Xinhua/2012-07-18

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: China to create blacklist for tourism market regulation

China to create blacklist for tourism market regulation

SHENYANG, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Government authorities will create a blacklist of unscrupulous tourism companies and agencies in October as a part of efforts to regulate the tourism market and foster the creation of a credit system for the sector.

The blacklist, which will be published by the National Tourism Administration (NTA) and General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, will expose tourism companies and agencies that have violated national laws and industry rules or cheated customers, NTA

Vice Director Du Jiang said Monday at a national conference.

Du said the companies and agencies that are exposed will also be punished.

The NTA has urged its local branches to enhance supervision and severely punish industry players that disrupt market order, according to Du.

Source: Xinhua/2012-07-09

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Tourism Indochina: Restaurant association to start up in temple town

Restaurant association to start up in temple town

Siem Reap’s eateries are joining forces to form the Siem Reap Restaurant Association.

At a meeting of the Cambodian Restaurant Association in Siem Reap’s Casa Angkor Hotel last Monday, the board presented the idea of setting up a Siem Reap chapter.

Temple Town businesses were quick on the uptake, following the success of CRA in representing Phnom Penh-based F&B companies for the last two years. CRA now works on behalf of more than 50 companies, made up of over 100 outlets, from long-running favourites to smaller enterprises.

“We came to Siem Reap two years ago to attract businesses here,” explains Geert Vanbaelen, who is spearheading the establishment of the Siem Reap chapter, “But we were only new and the businesses here were afraid to join. Now they see the brands we’ve attracted, and they’re ready to get started.”

Geert says that the larger restaurant groups and hotel restaurants were the most enthusiastic, but he believes others will follow suit. The association will be assisted by the already-established Cambodia Hotel Association Siem Reap, which was represented at the meeting by its president, Emmett McHenry of Sokha Angkor Resort.

Geert, a former CRA treasurer who recently relocated to Siem Reap, says the establishment of the chapter will help businesses in a multitude of areas. “It’s a networking association, so it’s gets people together, it improves communication. It can represent restaurants with a common voice to the government, and will work to make food and beverage a leading industry in Cambodia.”

Vanbaelen also says the association works in communities, with schools and NGOs, educating and encouraging students to become interested in hospitality. The association has also lobbied the government to improve hygiene guidelines and to formalise inspections.

Another item on Monday’s agenda was the CamFood and CamHotel 2012 Exhibition which will take place in Phnom Penh in October. It will be held in Diamond Island Exhibition Center, and hopes to attract over 12,000 industry professionals.

CRA is now pushing for more representation from Siem Reap and Geert says, “Some restaurants and hotels came to the expo two years ago, but after our presentation in Siem Reap, a lot more were very motivated to get involved.”

CRA will encourage representation by providing transport for staff to the capital for the exhibition.

While also a showcase for products and businesses, the expo will be a showcase for staff too, with competitions in everything from bartending to bed-making, even a waiter race. Geert says, “I hope this year we will see some Siem Reap staff taking part. It will improve their skills and who knows maybe they’ll go on to work abroad?”

Source: Phnompenhpost/13July2012

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Tourism Indochina: Over 1.5 mln foreign tourists visit Cambodia in first 5 months

Over 1.5 mln foreign tourists visit Cambodia in first 5 months

PHNOM PENH, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has attracted over 1.5 million international visitors in the first five months of 2012, up 26 percent compared with the same period last year, the statistics released by the tourism ministry showed Monday.

About 941,450 foreign tourists, or 62.5 percent of the total, visited the world heritage site Angkor archeological park in Siem Reap province, which is located about 315 km northwest of the capital city Phnom Penh.

During the January-May period this year, Vietnam topped the chart among the top 10 arrivals with 305,750 tourists, up 30 percent, followed by South Korea with 204,150, up 35 percent, and Chinese visitors ranked a third place, with 132,000, up 33 percent.

Thai visitors to Cambodia had surged by 89 percent to 78,160 thanks to the improving relations between the two neighbors after tensions over border disputed areas have eased since last July.

The report said some 49 percent of the visitors arrived in Cambodia by air, 48 percent by land and the rest by water ways.

Tourism industry is one of the four major pillars supporting Cambodia's economy. Last year, 2.88 million foreign tourists visited the country, bringing in a total revenue of 1.91 billion U. S. dollars.

Source: Xinhua/2012-06-25

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Tourism Indochina: Dara Airport Hotel lands at Ratana Plaza

Dara Airport Hotel lands at Ratana Plaza

A new hotel serving the Phnom Penh International Airport opened on July 1 at Ratana Plaza on the left off Russian Boulevard just before Hanoi Road on the way to the airport from central Phnom Penh.

The Dara Airport Hotel has 155 rooms with a fifth-floor reception, swimming pool, bar and spa. A 60-room second addition to the hotel on an adjacent street, with 11 long-stay apartments, in a building along with a restaurant and a branch of Canadia Bank is scheduled to open in November. When the adjacent addition is opened, the hotel’s total room count will be 226.

General Manager Pierre Bernard, who formerly worked at the Cambodiana Hotel and the Independence Hotel in Sihanoukville, says one of the best features of the hotel is the fifth floor open area where guests can relax in the open air, adjacent to the lobby.

“The advantage is to be close to the airport,” Bernard said.

The hotel is part of the Ratana Plaza complex, which houses a Lucky supermarket, Lucky Burger, iOne computers and a number of other shops.

An opening promotion rate of $55 per night is being offered for single rooms, $60 for double. The rates will later increase to $80 plus, and $90 for a deluxe room. The suites, with living rooms, couches and big screen televisions, start from about $200.

The hotel’s restaurant is called Blue Sky and has Western, Khmer and Chinese menus. The Attitude Lounge is located adjacent to the fifth floor rotunda and reception area.

Bernard said the hotel would focus on corporate clients.

“We already have guests, a majority of them are corporate from the government and factory sector,” Bernard said. “We are close to the golf course and the Cambodia Country Club,” he said.

Fitness and pool membership is being offered in an early bird special for $64.50 per month.

Source: Phnompenhpost/17July2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: China plans huge tourism project in Tibet capital

China plans huge tourism project in Tibet capital

BEIJING: China on Sunday started work on a 30-billion-yuan (US$4.8-billion) tourism project in Lhasa city, state media said, as it seeks to draw more travellers to the restive Tibet region.

The massive development in the regional capital will include a theme park, commercial district and residential area, Lhasa Vice Mayor Ma Xinming was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency.

Construction on the first phase of the planned project, about two kilometres (just over a mile) from downtown Lhasa, will take three to five years, it said.

Lhasa was the scene of violent anti-Chinese government riots in 2008 and authorities have kept the city under tight security since then.

Tibetans have long chafed under China's rule over the vast Himalayan plateau, saying that Beijing has curbed religious freedoms and their culture is being eroded by an influx of Han Chinese, the country's main ethnic group.

Beijing, however, says that Tibetans enjoy religious freedom and have benefited from improved living standards brought on by China's economic expansion.

Ma said the project would create a "living museum" for Tibetan culture as well as relieving pressure on tourist attractions in Lhasa's old city and developing Tibet's tourism industry, Xinhua reported.

Buddhist pilgrims and tourists flock to Lhasa to visit the Jokhang temple in the city centre and the Potala Palace, former home of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

On May 27, two Tibetans set themselves on fire in front of the Jokhang temple, the first such incident to hit the city following a string of similar acts in parts of China inhabited by the ethnic group.

Travel agents said Chinese authorities closed Tibet to foreign visitors shortly after the incident, though state media later denied any travel ban.

The tourism project will include a theme park dedicated to Princess Wencheng, a member of the Chinese royal court during the 618-907 AD Tang Dynasty who married a Tibetan ruler, Xinhua said.

Beijing has used the story to illustrate close historical ties between China and Tibet.

Other features of the development include centres for highlighting Tibetan arts and customs, the Xinhua report said.

Last year, 8.5 million tourists visited Tibet, up more than 24 per cent from 2010, official figures showed.

The regional government is targeting 10 million visitors this year, producing tourism revenue of 12 billion yuan, the government has said.

- AFP/ck: 08 July 2012

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Tourism Indochina: A resort in the clouds

Tourism Indochina: A resort in the clouds

Bokor Mountain, just two hours from Phnom Penh and a towering 1,075 metres above sea level, is a quintessential Kampot experience.

These days, in addition to “picnics in the clouds” and pilgrimages to Wat Sampov Pram, locals and tourists have a new destination: the newly built Thansur Bokor Highland Resort.

Critics, however, have yet to warm to it.

According to one Kampot local: “Bokor Mountain isn’t natural any more because of all the development.”

Chansophal Kheng, Thansur Bokor Highland Resort’s marketing director, says the mega-resort is not intended solely as a gaming venue.

“It offers a combination of natural beauty and entertainment. Our customers can enjoy the view in addition to other tourist attractions,” Kheng says.

Since its soft launch in March this year, Thansur Bokor has been running at full steam, as Kheng explained in an email interview with The Phnom Penh Post’s Lifestyle section.....Read more>>>

Source: Phnompenhpost/12July2012

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Tourism Indochina: Regional bikers ride into town

Regional bikers ride into town

The thunder of motors made villagers along National Road 5 cease their work for a few minutes on Friday, as they took in the unusual sight of a long procession of big bikes roaring down the provincial highway.

About 320 Thai and Malaysian bikers crossed the Cambodia-Thailand border at Poipet on their way to Phnom Penh to join the first-ever Cambodia Bike Fest, organised by NagaWorld Hotel and Casino.

NagaWorld cost control manager Mazlan Omar, who joined the ride from Bangkok to Cambodia, said Cambodians were by far the most enthusiastic spectators along the route, which began in Malaysia and crossed Thailand.

“When we rode into Cambodia, we were treated like kings,” Omar said. “Residents, students and police joined the security detail from the border to NagaWorld. Students even waved flags to welcome us. Our bikers were so happy.”

The procession was escorted by police and ambulances. A few mechanical breakdowns occurred, but did not slow down the ride.

Inclement weather proved a challenge, with heavy rain accompanying the riders from Pursat to Kampong Chhnang, causing at least four bikes to crash.

Despite the obstacles, no bikers were seriously injured and the ride made a glorious – and loud – entrance to Phnom Penh.

About 7pm, the last group of big bikes reached NagaWorld, where tents were set up and a concert was already under way.

Live music, raffles and a beauty pageant made the festival a success.

Rajesh Kumar Nair said the Malaysian bikers had broken a national record by driving from the southern part of that country to Phnom Penh within 36 hours.

The 21 Malaysians who made the entire journey received awards for their feat.

Organisers hope the visiting bikers will help boost local tourism.

“This is the first time international bikers have come to see Cambodia’s Royal Palace and the riverside. Hopefully, when they go back to their countries, they’ll remember Cambodia and come back in the future,” Nair said. “I’m sure we will attract more bikers next year. We will try to make it better and bigger.”

Meanwhile, in the provinces, the bike ride left an impression on villagers who had never seen anything like it before.

Twelve-year-old Vang Naro ran from his house in Battambang on Friday after hearing a loud noise in the distance and noticing that other villagers had gathered to see the bikers.

“I just saw the bikes were big, but it was hard for me to see them clearly because they were fast,” he said. “The bikes looked scary, but I want to see them again. I’ll wait for them to return this way.”

Unfortunately, Vang Naro wasn’t able to catch the riders on their way back yesterday, as they took a different road through Siem Reap to take a few group photographs in front of Angkor Wat before returning to Thailand through the Poipet border crossing.

Source: Phnompenhpost/9July2012

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Tourism Indochina: Apsara studying ticket cost

Apsara studying ticket cost

Ticket prices for Angkor Wat will increase after a feasibility study is conducted by tourism experts, according to an official from the Apsara National Authority, the state-run body charged with maintaining the archaeological park.

The experts were determining how feasible increasing entrance fees for Cambodia’s UNESCO World Heritage site would be, but had not provided a date when they expected to present their results, authority general director Bun Narith said.

“They are looking into ways to increase the amount raised through ticket sales before we take the conclusions to the goverment for approval, pending which there will be an increase,” Narith said.

The plan would not directly increase the general entrance fee of $20 per person for a one-day pass, but was an effort to steer tourists towards less-visited locales in the park to ease congestion and wear and tear on the temples, he said.

Cambodian Association of Travel Agents president Ang Kim Eang said the study was a welcome look at Cambodia’s largest tourist attraction and the price of tickets in Cambodia was still inexpensive compared with those in neighbouring countries, but an increased entrance fee was not necessary at this time.

“We welcome the study prior to any specific increase, as a clear study will help ensure there is as little impact on visitors as possible,” Eang said.

According to Ministry of Tourism figures, visitors to Angkor Wat increased by nearly 29 per cent during the first five months of this year compared to the same period in 2011.

Source: Phnompenhpost/13July2012

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Tourism Indochina: Tourism not hurt by outbreak

Tourism not hurt by outbreak

Cambodia's tourism sector has emerged from a “mystery disease” scare unscathed, industry insiders said yesterday, although some regional health authorities noted what the World Health Organisation called an outbreak of Enterovirus-71 (EV-71), which has killed at least 52 children in the Kingdom.

“The disease has only affected children under the age of 10, so I don’t think this will have much of an affect on the tourists that come to Cambodia,” said Ang Kim Eang, president of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents.

Tourism Minister Thong Khon said yesterday health authorities had handled the situation well and the industry had been unaffected.

Health departments in Hong Kong and the Philippines have issued notices concerning the Cambodian outbreak. Neither country has warned against travel to the Kingdom.

All passengers arriving in the Philippines are being screened. Hong Kong authorities have monitored the outbreak and doctors have been alerted for potential cases, according to a statement from Hong Kong’s Department of Health.

“Our position is very much dependent on the WHO position on this disease. Right now, we have not issued a travel warning,” Chris Cheung, a communications officer at the department, said yesterday.

The WHO has not issued a warning against travel to Cambodia.

The news had not deterred Filipino travellers, K C Vicebo, outbound manager at the Manila-based travel agency Scorpio Travel and Tour, said.

Unlike other outbreaks of infectious diseases in the region, EV-71 had flown under the radar of most Filipino travellers in Cambodia, she said.

“SARS was scary. It really affected travel to Hong Kong a few years ago. But these days we haven’t seen any kind of reaction here,” Vicebo said.

Source: Phnompenhpost/11July2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Well-managed tourism can help protect the world’s wetlands

Well-managed tourism can help protect the world’s wetlands


PR No.: PR12045,Bucharest,Madrid,09 Jul 12

Whether kayaking in the Iberá Marshes in Argentina or bird-watching at Ba-Be Lake in Vietnam, tourists are providing income for the conservation of wetlands worldwide, as demonstrated in a new publication launched by the Ramsar Secretariat and UNWTO.

Besides providing essential services such as water, food and energy, wetlands offer significant opportunities for tourism, which can in turn deliver economic benefits for local communities and the sustainable management of wetlands, according to the publication Destination Wetlands: Supporting Sustainable Tourism.

Growth in sustainable tourism not only reflects environmental realities, but also a desire from tourists themselves to embrace green tourism. “There is a trend among tourists of turning towards green forms of tourism, towards destinations that offer wildlife and heritage,” said Cristian Barhalescu, State Secretary, Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism of Romania. “As wetlands, with their diversity and richness, become subject to tourism development, the interconnection between tourism and wetlands should be given special attention by all actors involved.”

Through 14 case studies, covering different wetland types around the world, the publication demonstrates how sustainable tourism practices in and around wetlands can contribute to conservation, economic growth, poverty reduction and support to local cultures.

The publication was launched at the 11th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP11) in Bucharest, Romania (6-13 July 2012). Held under the theme Wetlands and Tourism, COP11 will debate a landmark Resolution on Wetlands and Tourism, urging sound tourism practices in wetlands.

"The adoption of this Resolution on Tourism and Wetlands will provide an important framework to help countries better recognize the linkages between wetlands and tourism so as to develop sustainable tourism in wetlands and other ecosystems. It proposes measures that they can take in the short and long term to ensure sustainable wetland tourism," said Anada Tiéga, Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention. "Of course it is important to consider tourism in all wetlands – not just those designated as Ramsar Sites – since the Contracting Parties to the Convention are committed to managing all wetlands and promoting their wise use."

“For Romania, the development of eco-tourism in the wetlands is a priority, and an example in this respect is the Danube Delta. Ramsar Sites in Romania must be placed at the very centre of our attention and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, together with the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism, will ensure that this becomes a reality,” stated Corneliu Mugurel Cozmanciuc, State Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests of Romania.

The focus on tourism at COP11 comes on the back of increasing collaboration between UNWTO and the Ramsar Secretariat. Since 2010, both have been working together towards the development of sustainable wetland tourism, with World Wetlands Day 2012 (2 February) celebrated under the theme “Wetlands and Tourism: A Great Experience”.

“Wetlands are one of tourism’s greatest assets, attracting millions of tourists each year,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “Working in close partnership with the Ramsar Secretariat, UNWTO is determined to sustainably manage wetland tourism through sound polices and planning, thereby conserving them for the enjoyment of generations to come.”

International tourist arrivals reached 982 million in 2011 and are expected to top one billion in 2012, generating over US$ 1 trillion in international tourism receipts. It is estimated that half of all tourists travel to wetlands, particularly coastal areas.

Source: UNWTO/9July2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: China to create blacklist for tourism market regulation

China to create blacklist for tourism market regulation

SHENYANG, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Government authorities will create a blacklist of unscrupulous tourism companies and agencies in October as a part of efforts to regulate the tourism market and foster the creation of a credit system for the sector.

The blacklist, which will be published by the National Tourism Administration (NTA) and General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, will expose tourism companies and agencies that have violated national laws and industry rules or cheated customers, NTA

Vice Director Du Jiang said Monday at a national conference.

Du said the companies and agencies that are exposed will also be punished.

The NTA has urged its local branches to enhance supervision and severely punish industry players that disrupt market order, according to Du.

Source: Xinhua/2012-07-09

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Chinese president concludes three-nation Asia trip

Chinese president concludes three-nation Asia trip

PHNOM PENH, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao left Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, for home Monday, after a state visit to the southeast Asian nation.

During the visit, Hu met Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, Senate President Chea Sim, National Assembly President Heng Samrin and Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Hu and Cambodian leaders discussed further development of the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation and exchanged views on major regional issues.

The two countries also signed a host of cooperation documents, covering infrastructure, human resources, economy and tourism.

During their meeting Saturday, the Chinese president and Prime Minister Hun Sen agreed to expand all-round bilateral cooperation and double two-way trade between the two countries to 5 billion U.S. dollars by the year of 2017.

Hu said the two countries should maintain close contact and strengthen strategic communication.

Noting that the next year would be the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Cambodia, Hu suggested the year of 2013 be designated as the Year of China-Cambodia Friendship to further expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

The two countries should expand pragmatic cooperation to realize a win-win situation, he said.

Hu also suggested that the two countries should strengthen cooperation on security and law enforcement by jointly combating cross-border crimes such as terrorism and drug trafficking, and maintain contact between the armed forces of the two countries.

China and Cambodia should manage to make multilateral coordination closer, strengthen mutual support and boost communication, coordination and cooperation within the frameworks of the United Nations and regional cooperation mechanisms, to safeguard the common interests of the two countries and those of other developing countries, he said.

China and Cambodia established diplomatic ties in 1958 and the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation in 2010.

In recent years, China and Cambodia maintained frequent high-level exchanges, strengthened mutual political trust and promoted cooperation in all areas.

The two-way trade between the two countries increased to 2.49 billion U.S. dollars in 2011 from 1.44 billion dollars in 2010.

Cambodia holds the presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2012 and plays an important role in East Asian cooperation and China-ASEAN relations.

Before his Cambodia visit, the Chinese leader attended the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit in the South Korean capital and a leaders' meeting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, known as BRICS, in New Delhi.

Source: Xinhua/2012-04-02

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Tourism Indochina: Direct bus route between Phnom Penh and Bangkok officially opens

Direct bus route between Phnom Penh and Bangkok officially opens

PHNOM PENH, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Direct bus route between Cambodia's Phnom Penh and Thailand's Bangkok was officially launched on Thursday. Officials believed that the launch will boost bilateral trade and tourism.

Under a bilateral agreement signed by the transport ministries of the two countries, Cambodia is allowed to issue licenses to 30 buses and 10 trucks, and Thailand is permitted to issue licenses to 30 trucks and 10 buses, Suon Vanhong, deputy director of the transport department at Cambodia's transport ministry, said Thursday.

"The start of the direct Phnom Penh-Bangkok bus route through Banteay Meanchey province's Poipet International Checkpoint will help promote the two countries' trade and tourism," he told Xinhua over telephone, adding that it will also cut travel time between the two capitals.

Craig Steffensen, Country Director of the Asian Development Bank's Thailand Resident Mission, said in a press release on Thursday that the ability to move people, goods, and vehicles across borders efficiently and responsibly is at the heart of regional economic integration.

"Today's launch will reduce logistics costs and facilitate economic growth and social development between Thailand, Cambodia and other Mekong nations," he said.
Cambodia borders Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. According to Suon Vanhong, to date, the country has direct cross-border bus route with all its neighbors.

Source: Xinhua/14June2012

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Tourism Indochina: Siem Reap-based art movie inspired by travels

Siem Reap-based art movie inspired by travels

Hotel de la Paix, which is shortly to close its doors and re-emerge next year as a Park Hyatt hotel, has been immortalised in a Singapore-made art film, I Have Loved, directed and written by Elizabeth Wijaya and Lai Weijie.

The film, produced by 13 Little Pictures in Singapore, was shot entirely on location in Siem Reap and many local landmarks are included, including Hotel de la Paix, and of course the temples are given a starring role.

According to the director's statement, the film features, “The splendor and illusion of the grand and cold Hotel de la Paix as a modern temple for privileged pilgrims gestures towards Resnais’ Last Year in Marienbad.”

Not sure exactly what that means, but hey it sounds good.

As for Siem Reap itself, the director’s statement says, “The landscape and architecture of Siem Reap and the Angkor temples are also characters in this film that explores contradiction on different levels.

The town of Siem Reap, compact and yet filled with contradictory building styles and transient tourists, is a metaphor for the frazzled yet searching and hopeful minds of the characters.”

The director’s statement also says, “The time- weathered temples form the emotional core of the film and visually allude to the ancient human soul – battered yet magnificent before the dust of modernity.”

According to the directors; the film’s plot is: “Marie goes to Cambodia in search of a romantic honeymoon but is confronted with the ambiguities of life and struggles with emotions and impulses beyond her understanding.

“I Have Loved is an intimate exploration of human consciousness, time and ways of remembering. After the death of her husband, Marie is haunted by an eclipsed memory – she cannot remember a key traumatic event as it happened.

Trapped in a Freudian cycle of mourning and repetition, she returns to Siem Reap to remember – so that she may forget.”

Director Elizabeth Wijaya told the Sinema website about the inspiration for the movie.

She said, “The idea came about from a trip we took in 2008. We went from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville,
Kampot, Kep, Bokor Hill and back to Siem Reap. We decided to set the feature in Siem Reap as we were interested in the paradoxes and dynamics of the interaction between the town and the millennial-old Angkor temples.”

Source: Phnompenhpost/29June2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Malaysia Airlines launches first A380 flight

Malaysia Airlines launches first A380 flight

Malaysia Airlines' inauguaral Airbus A380 flight took off from Heathrow this week, making it the eighth airline to operate the largest passenger jet in the world.

This week Malaysia Airlines became the eighth airline to operate the largest passenger jet in the world when its first Airbus A380 took off from Heathrow Airport for Kuala Lumpur. As the airline takes delivery of more A380s, it looks set to revolutionise travel to the Far East and Australia.

In a ceremony at Terminal 4 to mark the inaugural flight the airline’s chief executive, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, cut a cake and promised passengers “new levels of comfort, luxury and convenience.” And this correspondent – who was on board for his first flight on a “Superjumbo” – can vouch for it being a step-change in long-haul travel.

The A380 claims to be 50 per cent quieter on take-off, as well as more fuel-efficient, than that veteran of long-haul flying, the Boeing 747-400. The take-off was certainly smoother and the other obvious improvement is that the cabin pressure – set at the equivalent of 5,000ft above sea level, as opposed to 8,000ft in a 747-400 – is more conducive to a pleasant flight.

The A380 has a capacity of 494 seats on two decks – 350 economy and eight first-class seats on the lower (main) deck, and 66 business class and 70 economy seats on the upper deck. Though the width of the fuselage makes the cabin feel far more spacious in business class, on the lower deck the economy seats are ten abreast, across two aisles, and the cabin looks more like a cinema than an aircraft.

Source: Telegraph/3July2012

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Tourism Indochina: Cambodian goods to be certified

Cambodian goods to be certified

The Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy (MIME) will begin promoting the Institute of Standards of Cambodia (ISC) certifications by the end of 2012 in an effort to educate people about certified goods, according to ministry officials.

The program is in order to boost consumer confidence in Cambodian products, said Seng Chhang, director of the MIME’s Certification Department of the Institute of Standards of Cambodia.

“We are taking this measure to increase the consumer base of Cambodian products. We look at foreign countries and their consumers use their own countries’ products, whereas our products don’t have dates or stamps so foreigners and Cambodians don’t buy them,” he said.

There will be a program to educate people about poor-quality goods, although measures were not specified, he said.

“It will start, at least, by the end of the year. We have been arranging the funds and someone to assist us implement the program,” he said.

Heng Heang, president of Phnom Penh Small and Medium-Size Industry, said that these measures could be good, but there would be an impact on some producers who have sites or packaging that do not meet the standard requirements.

Source: Phnompenhpost/6July2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: South Korean activist arrested after trip to North Korea

South Korean activist arrested after trip to North Korea

PAJU, South Korea: A left-wing South Korean activist was detained on Thursday when he returned home from an illegal trip to North Korea and a meeting with its ceremonial head of state, police said.

Security officials held Ro Su-Hui soon after he walked across the border at the truce village of Panmunjom. Seoul says he faces stern punishment for his trip, during which he praised Pyongyang's rulers.

Ro, 68, went to Pyongyang on March 24 without Seoul government approval for a memorial service marking the 100th day since the death of long-time ruler Kim Jong-Il.

More than 1,000 conservative activists rallied with anti-Pyongyang placards at Paju near a border bridge leading to Panmunjom, demanding he be punished.

They torched a North Korean flag and an effigy of current leader Kim Jong-Un along with his portraits.

"Expel traitor Ro Su-Hui to North Korea!" one placard read.

Pictures provided by the South's unification ministry showed about 300 North Koreans waving flags on the northern side of Panmunjom as Ro, wearing a grey suit, crossed the frontier watched by border guards.

The North Koreans gave him "a hearty send-off", shouting slogans such as "Down with the (President) Lee Myung-Bak group of traitors!", according to the North's official news agency KCNA.

He was taken to a police station at Paju, police said.

The detention came hours after police raided Ro's home and office in Seoul to seize computer hard discs and documents.

He could face up to 10 years in prison under a tough security law that penalises pro-Pyongyang activity and bans citizens from going to the North without approval.

Ro is a member of pro-Pyongyang group the North and South headquarters of the Pan-national Alliance for Korea's Reunification, which said the visit was justified.

It accused Seoul of trying to use his return to eliminate "progressive pro-reform forces" before presidential elections in December, and called Ro's visit "a token of due courtesy" for North Koreans during the mourning period for the late leader.

In an interview on Tuesday with the North's official news agency, Ro praised Jong-Un for "pursuing politics of love for the people and posterity".

"In the North the people are regarded as Heaven, children as kings and the single-minded unity is stronger than nuclear weapons," he said.

He met the ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-Nam in Pyongyang on Wednesday.

Seoul did not send any representatives to Kim's funeral and approved a trip only by two private delegations, a decision strongly criticised by Pyongyang.

The North has ratcheted up hostility towards Seoul for perceived insults to the late leader during the mourning period and other alleged slights.

Other activists visiting the North have been charged or jailed on return. Han Sang-Ryol, a pastor, was sentenced to three years in jail last year for an unauthorised trip in 2010.

- AFP/de:5July2012

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Tourism Indochina: Tourism News: Hun Sen shoots down free-visa plan

Hun Sen shoots down free-visa plan

Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday shot down calls for a free visa system for all ASEAN + 3 nations.

The proposal would have included the ASEAN nations as well as China, Japan and South Korea.

Minister of Tourism Thong Khon made the proposal during a Tourism Ministry meeting at the Chaktomok Conference Hall in Phnom Penh.

The Cambodian government has already produced a framework on free visas for all ASEAN nations other than Brunei and Myanmar.

Questions remain over how Cambodia will deal with the “+3” countries in terms of visa status.

“We cannot exempt them [Japan, South Korea and China]” Hun Sen said during the meeting.

“For instance, if we offer free visas for country A and they do not offer free visas to us, how should we respond?”

“Then country B will make the same request: because we offered free visas to country A, why not country B?”

The Prime Minister said that if Cambodia could come to a reciprocal agreement with the three regional neighbours, he would okay the plan.

“We should not only look at the ASEAN + 3 nations, we should look into the whole jungle,” he said.

Revenue from visas would diminish, forcing the tourism sector to drain the national revenue, Hun Sen said.

The amount of revenue that would be lost from a free ASEAN + 3 visa system would not be small, he said.

In fact, Hun Sen said, a free visa system for the “+ 3” nations could end up costing Cambodia millions of dollars in revenue.

Thong Khon could not be reached for comment.

The ASEAN + 3 nations were countries with large populations, and offering them a free-visa system when they did not offer one in return would result in a loss of revenue, Ang Kim Eang, president of Cambodia’s Association of Travel and Agents, said.

The number of tourists from ASEAN + 3 sharply increased. Tourists from Korea rose 35.2 per cent, supplying the second-largest number of tourists to Cambodia after Vietnam.

Source: Phnompenhpost/5July2012

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Tourism Indochina: Angkor Wat bans tacky souvenirs

Angkor Wat bans tacky souvenirs

It was announced last week that smoking would be banned at Angkor temple sites, and this week local authorities added that there will also be a clampdown on tacky souvenirs and photos.

On Tuesday, Bun Narith, director general of the Apsara Authority told Insider that the smoking ban had been introduced to protect temples from ashes and fire and show respect to the monuments, the culture and the religion, as well as to promote health and comfort for visitors.

He added that the Apsara Authority prohibits the sale of certain “tacky” souvenirs such as ashtrays or drinking glasses that contained a sketch of the temple at the bottom of the glass.

Also prohibited is the practice of vendors superimposing photographs of tourists on an Angkor Wat background that is then printed on a souvenir and sold.

Apsara Authority director general Bun Narith said such sales practices and prohibited souvenirs were damaging the Khmer identity and pride and must stop immediately.

Source: Phnompenhpost/22June2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Thailand ranks as No. 1 outbound destination for Indian travelers

Thailand ranks as No. 1 outbound destination for Indian travelers

Indians are known to travel year round and it is no surprise that the most visited destination by Indians is a 365-day holiday spot like no other – Thailand.

For the calendar year 2011, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has revealed that a record number of 917,832 Indians travelled to Thailand in comparison to 791,185 in 2010, making it the number one destination for Indians with a growth rate in excess of 16% in 2011. In 2012, this growth is continuing with 210,722 Indians visiting Thailand from January to March, representing an increase of 1.64% over the same period in 2011.

With its wide range of “value for money” offerings that include leisure sports, fine dining, adventure services, wellness and quality hotels and resorts, Thailand has been consistently increasing in popularity among Indians from all parts of the country. Travel agents, tour operators and even niche segment travel trade members have actively been working with the Tourism Authority of Thailand in launching new packages that encourage first-time and repeat travelers. Packages that included destinations such as Pattaya and Phuket have now been further enhanced to include new beach destinations such as Ko Samui, Hua Hin and Krabi. Mountainous regions of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai have also become attractive for the corporate sector in addition to adventure seekers.

Commenting on the remarkable growth, Mr. Sethaphan Buddhani, Director for Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Mumbai said, “We are delighted to have welcomed so many Indians to our nation and look forward to welcoming even more during 2012. We have achieved this consistent growth due to our result-oriented marketing strategies that are matched with performance indicators. We are also grateful to the Indian travel trade fraternity which has been actively supporting our initiatives through joint promotions that showcase Amazing Thailand as a value-for-money destination.”

Mr. Buddhani further elaborated, ”We realized the need to tap niche segments as the Indian market has matured over a period of time. As a result, we now tap niche segments such as golf, luxury holidays, weddings, medical, and Bollywood tourism.”

Commenting on TAT’s success strategy, Mr. Buddhani stated that the Tourism Authority of Thailand focused on educating travel agents, tour operators, wedding planners and media on new and exotic destinations in Thailand through ground-based marketing activities that include workshops, seminars and educational tours. Augmented by exhibitions, joint promotions and mass communication through a wide range of media that include outdoor, print, electronic and online, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has been able to effectively position Thailand as a ‘Value for Money’ destination.

Source: TravelDailyNews/14May2012

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Tourism Indochina: More tourists set to spend money in Asia Pacific

More tourists set to spend money in Asia Pacific

SINGAPORE: Asia Pacific is set to get a tourism boost according to forecasts based on an international index released Monday.

The MasterCard Worldwide Global Destination Cities Index, that ranks cities in terms of the number of international visitor arrivals and cross-border spending by visitors in destination cities, placed Bangkok top on the list for tourist spending.

The Thai capital is also world's third destination city in terms of visitor spending for 2012, with an estimated forecast of US$19.3 billion.

Singapore was ranked second in Asia Pacific and fifth in the world, with an expected visitor spending of US$12.7 billion.

In addition, the index forecast that Singapore would see more tourists from Jakarta, Hong Kong and London -- with Londoners tipped to spend the most.

The index, which is used as a barometer for understanding the global economy and the flow of commerce across the world, is compiled using international flight and flight capacity data, and not based on MasterCard volumes or transactional data.

- CNA/wk/18June2012

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